Thirty Nights
by Cleone
Summary: When Sasuke starts a romantic relationship with Naruto's daughter, a scandal begins that will rock Konoha forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Thirty Nights**

**Chapter One**

As the sun made it's descent below the horizon, an explosion of oranges and reds and purples lit up the dark, velvety blue sky. The stars began to wink through the darkness, and Venus shone brightly under the crescent moon. The air smelled sweet and inviting. The trees with their deep green leaves stood still in the twilight. Konoha was engulfed by the promise of summer.

Sasuke, now eighteen years old, was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking out the large square window of his bedroom at the sunset. This was how it was every night: he'd come home after the strenuous ANBU missions, heat up a pot of coffee, and retreat to his bedroom to look out at the lively, bustling village from the window. He was single, as he had always been, and didn't give his nonexistent love life a second thought as he watched all his peers hurriedly get married to one another, for fear that Konoha might be ambushed and get pulled into war (the relationship between the ninja countries was not at its' best; a rumor that the last Chuunin exam had been rigged fueled the anger and rage the nations had against one another). Babies upon babies were popping out of the girls he grew up with, and all his male comrades would show up late for mission briefings, explaining that they were changing diapers or putting the goddamn brats to bed.

Sasuke looked over at the bedside table, where a pink card decorated with bows and butterflies and chubby cartoon babies laid open next to a ripped open envelope addressed to him.

'That's right,' he thought, sneering. 'They had a little, snot-nosed kid a few days ago.'

Maybe she was aiming to make Sasuke jealous, or maybe she was just goddamn desperate, but last year Sakura married Naruto and just a few days ago she gave birth to their first child, a little girl (Sasuke didn't remember the name; it was written somewhere in that pink birth announcement that he looked at for about two seconds). Sasuke recalled seeing Sakura around the market a few months before, sighing and looking forlornly at her bulging stomach. Maybe she regretted getting hitched to the village's biggest loser and not using some damned birth control, because she looked unhappy as all hell. Sasuke knew he wouldn't be happy if he had to walk around with a huge, pregnant belly for the entire world to see.

He reached over and lifted the card off the table's smooth surface. He looked down and raised his brow.

"Yumi, huh?"

So the little girl's name was Yumi. Uzumaki Yumi. How cute.

'Maybe she was born retarded and will grow up to be as stupid and annoying as her father and mother,' Sasuke thought, tossing the card back on the table. 'God only knows that when you mix Uzumaki and Haruno genes, you end up with a disaster.'

He stared for a minute at the stiff, pink paper. It really was unbelievable, his teammates getting hitched and then having a daughter. No one thought that Naruto and Sakura would stay together long enough to start making babies. Sasuke remembered Shikamaru betting that they wouldn't make it through the honey moon. Yet here they were, more than a year later.

Sasuke squinted as he took his gaze off the card and looked around the darkening bedroom. He had to admit, living on his own when love was so thick in the air that it was suffocating tended to get a bit lonely at times. He never did consider himself too cocky, but even he knew that he could do better than the few girls his age in the village. Not only were most of them married, but they were shallow, dumb, and not to mention…ugly.

For a short time, Sasuke had begun looking at the younger women of the village, fourteen at the absolute youngest. Not only were they worse than the females his age, but a sense of shame came over him whenever he "checked out" a girl younger than him. He had received relentless ridicule from his peers, and Kiba ('Stupid, disgusting, son of a bitch,' Sasuke thought) had even gone as far as to say that Sasuke was well on his way to becoming a pedophile.

So all in all…there was no one in the entire village of Konoha that Sasuke would even consider getting into an intimate relationship with, much less marrying and having kids with.

The young man stretched his arms high above his head and let himself fall onto the soft, oh-so-comfortable mattress. "Maybe I'll give them a visit and see how miserable they are with their kid," he yawned.

* * *

Sasuke rose with the sun, yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He reluctantly pushed the covers off his half-naked body and he swung his feet over the side of the bed, landing them on the cold floor. He shivered and began rubbing his bare arms. Summer had barely begun, which meant that he still had to endure nearly frigid mornings.

Sasuke slowly rose from the mattress and made his way across the room to the adjacent bathroom. He switched the light on and stepped onto the cold tile floor, glancing at himself in the small mirror above the sink as he did so. He stopped and stared at his reflection. Though he was only eighteen, small lines had begun to carve themselves around Sasuke's eyes, which many people had said had appeared because he was stressed and overworked. Yet he was still a handsome young man, with unbelievably dark, deep eyes, soft skin, and (at the moment) slightly tussled hair. It was no surprise that so many women yearned for his companionship.

Sasuke shrugged and turned away from the mirror. Nothing new, just about the same thing he had seen every morning. He took a quick, hot shower, dried himself off, and walked back into his bedroom with a towel around his waist. The first golden rays of dawn were beginning to emerge, signaling a new day, a fresh start.

Pulling out a dark blue bathrobe and slipping it on, Sasuke trudged out of his bedroom, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair at the small, square table and plopped down, still weary and aching to go back to bed, even after the hot shower. He felt like he was aging at an incredible pace, his bones tired, his attitude cranky and annoyed. Yet he tried to partake in activities normal eighteen year-old boys partook in (like going to parties and reading nudie magazines). Needless to say, he never did take much interest in those ventures, feeling less of a youthful man and more of an old fart.

Sasuke leaned back in his chair. Yes, he had thought that perhaps a woman would make him feel young and alive, but there was just no female in Konoha that he was too excited about. And besides, if he needed to unleash his male needs, there were always prostitutes. There was no point in being attached to a girl when you could get the same pleasure out of a whore.

He stood up and dragged his feet to the counter, upon which sat a small porcelain jar. He lifted the lid, set it down next to the jar, and pulled out a few 10,000 yen notes he had been keeping in case of an emergency. Though he hated the thought of using his reserve money as a gift, he knew that Naruto and Sakura needed it more than he did.

Sasuke replaced the lid on the jar and set the notes on the counter. Even though it was early, they were more than likely up already, taking care of their brand spanking new infant daughter. He went back upstairs to his bedroom, tossed on a black tank top and an old pair of sweatpants, and retraced his steps back into the kitchen. He grabbed the notes off the counter and stuffed them reluctantly into his pocket.

'They better be grateful, damn it,' he thought as he grabbed his keys and walked out the front door. 'An ANBU member doesn't make much money.'

Sasuke shook his head and started down the street. The sun was well over the horizon, and everything in his view was bathed in the warm, morning light. As he walked by lawns and gardens of other houses, he noticed fresh, sweet-smelling dew on the flowers and grass. It was without a doubt a beautiful morning.

He stopped in front of a good size pale blue house with a slightly un-kept yard. It really wasn't a bad place to live for a small family, and they were damn lucky they didn't have to be crammed into a dumpy apartment. Yet, Sasuke thought with a smirk as he stepped up to the front door, it was nothing compared to _his_ house.

He knocked twice and waited, surprised that there were no screams or cries that could be heard from within. He waited, tapping his foot, until the door slowly opened and a slippered foot stepped out. A tired-looking woman emerged, and it took Sasuke a few seconds to realize that it was Sakura. Poor, poor little Sakura, with her silky pink hair wrapped into a messy knot, dark circles around her emerald eyes, and a dirty yellow bathrobe hanging loosely from her shoulders, she looked like one of the hobos that hung around the junkyard. Sasuke held his breath as he gazed at her. To put it bluntly…

'She looks awful,' he thought.

Sakura blinked a few times and her lips formed a tired smile. "S-Sasuke!" She held her arms out and pulled him into a hug, quickly pulling away before he could respond. "Oh, it's good to see you, even this early in the morning."

Sasuke flashed her a grin. "I though you'd be up by now." He crossed his arms and raised his brows. "I got the announcement. Congrats."

Sakura's face beamed and she nodded. "Yup, our little Yumi." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I never knew being a mother was so…"

"Frustrating?"

Sakura nodded again. "Exactly. I haven't gotten any sleep since the night before I went into labor." She smiled. "But it's worth it. Naruto and I love her with all our hearts. She's the best thing that's ever happened to us."

Sasuke hesitated, but rested his hand on her shoulder. "I'm…happy for you two."

Sakura lightly placed her hand on top of his. "I'm happy too." She gestured toward the door. "Would you like to come in? I could make you some tea, or coffee."

Sasuke stepped passed her into the house. "Tea would be great."

Sakura hurried off while he took a look around. The place looked like it had been hit by a hurricane. The living room area, to his left, was strewn with wrapping paper and ribbons, fast food wrappers littered the couch and love seat, and not to mention a disgusting odor of which Sasuke didn't want to know hung in the air. On a recliner surrounded by small stuffed animals and toilet paper sat Naruto, who was holding a small bundle wrapped in a pink blanket in his arms. He looked as spent, maybe even more so, than Sakura, with his blonde hair messy, his black shirt and shorts covered in stains and sweat, and the same dark circles under his eyes that his wife had.

Sasuke thought about teasing him, but decided against it. "Yo, Naruto."

Naruto looked up from the bundle and frowned. "What are you doing here so damn early?"

The other man dug into his pocket and pulled out the notes of yen. "I thought I'd drop by to give you a little something." He threw them across the room and they landed in front of Naruto's feet.

Naruto's face brightened up and he cleared his throat. "Well, you're welcome anytime."

"I thought so." Sasuke walked over and sat down on the floor next to Naruto's chair. "So is this little Yumi?"

Naruto turned back to the bundle and grinned. "Yeah, my baby girl."

He moved the blanket to the side and Sasuke leaned over. Uzumaki Yumi had a small, pink face and tufts of thin, blond hair which she no doubt inherited from Naruto. Though her eyes were shut, Sasuke judged that she had the same green eyes as her mother. Yumi's small hands were curled up around the pink blanket, and her feet were covered with over-sized socks. Her breathing was calm and regular, her chest rising with each breath, and Sasuke guessed that she was asleep.

"She's beautiful," he said quietly, unsure whether or not he was telling the truth or just humoring the child's proud father.

"Want to hold her?"

"No, no thanks," Sasuke said quickly, standing up. "I'll leave her in her father's care."

Naruto pouted and opened his mouth as if to say something but at that moment Sakura came in, holding two china cups with steam rising out of them. He closed his mouth and smiled warmly as she sat down next to Sasuke on the floor.

"Hey there, sweetie."

Sakura handed him one of the cups and returned the smile. "Holding up alright, Mr. Brand New Daddy?"

Sasuke looked from one to the other and rolled his eyes. He hated having to endure what he considered the wretched lingo of lovers.

Naruto sighed and looked at her with starry eyes. "Never been better."

Sakura giggled and handed Sasuke the second cup. "If you'd like, I can take over for a bit. I don't mean to sound rude, but you do smell a bit, Naruto." She nodded her head to the stairs that stood to the left of the living room. "You can go get showered while Sasuke and I chat for a bit."

Naruto looked at her skeptically and sipped some tea. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Just hand her to me."

Naruto set the cup down on the arm of the recliner and handed the baby down to Sakura, kissing her on the head before doing so. "I won't be long," he said, standing up.

Sasuke watched Naruto weave his way through the garbage on the floor and make his way up the stairs. He waited until he heard the sound of a door closing on the upper level before speaking again.

"If you don't mind me asking…"

Sakura rocked the infant gently in her arms and grinned sheepishly. "You mean why did I decide to marry him?"

"Well…yeah."

Sakura started to gently stroke her daughter's cheek. "I wasn't so sure myself at first. I mean, we dated for a while, and at first he didn't seem like anything special, but as our relationship progressed I began to notice how much he cared about me." She stopped rocking Yumi to pull a strand of her pink hair behind her ear. "Every time we went out, he bought me a dozen roses and would tell me how special I was to him. No man had ever treated me so well. I felt like I was a queen."

Sasuke nodded, feeling slightly guilty when she said that no man had ever treated her so well. "I see…"

Sakura looked up at him. "Only a few weeks after our wedding, I found out that I was pregnant. That's the thing that most husbands fear the most: the thought of becoming a father. But not Naruto. When I told him, he hugged me tightly and said he was so happy." She sighed contentedly. "And so far, he's been a wonderful father, and I know that he'll always be there for his daughter."

Sasuke nodded again. After talking to his teammate for only a few minutes, he realized how much she had grown up. She wasn't an annoying little girl anymore; she was a matured, poised woman, a mother. Naruto was a lucky man to have such a significant other.

The two sat in silence, listening to the water running upstairs, before Sakura broke the quiet with a question Sasuke knew she would ask.

"Sasuke, have you found a girl yet that you love?"

He shook his head. "Nope, still flying solo, I'm afraid."

Sakura bit her lip, seeming reluctant. "Well you know…" She shrugged her shoulders. "Ino is still single."

Sasuke smirked. "She's not really my type. I'd never go for her."

Though he wasn't sure if it mattered much, the answer seemed to please Sakura. "I could've sworn her and Shikamaru would be hitched by now."

"Oh god, those two living in the same house together…" Sasuke gave a fake shudder.

Sakura chuckled. "Oh Sasuke, you've grown into a wonderful man."

Sasuke glanced at her, not believing the words that came out of his mouth. "And you've become a fine woman… Sakura."

A huge smile crossed Sakura's face, and Sasuke cursed himself for saying such a thing. "Thank you," she whispered.

Sasuke looked down at his cup of tea, embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. No problem." He cleared his throat and set the tea cup on the ground before stretching his legs and standing up. "Well…thanks for having me over…and stuff."

Sakura stood up as well, still holding the baby safely in her arms. "Oh no, it was our pleasure."

Sasuke turned away from her and started walking towards the front door. "Congratulations, again. I'm sure Yumi will grow up to be an amazing woman."

He turned back around and glanced at the child in Sakura's arms, who was still sound asleep. At the moment, he was oblivious to it, but little did he know that one day that little girl would grow up to become much more in his life than his teammate's daughter. She would change him into a totally different man, turn his life upside down and…

Become the woman he would love.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thirty Nights**

**Chapter Two**

_**(Sixteen Years Later)**_

Sasuke, now thirty-four years old, sat on the knarled root of an enormous tree with his back against the trunk, watching his three students chuck shuriken at an effigy of the fifth Hokage (someone the three teenagers came to loathe after she gave them one moronic mission after another, even though they were chunnins). Though his students hardly needed him to teach them anything new, the four of them enjoyed each other's company and often trained together every now and then.

Sasuke looked over at the young man to his left, who skillfully threw the shuriken dead center into the fake Tsunade. Hyuuga Jun, the son of Neji and TenTen, had his father's silky black hair and milky white eyes. He was without a doubt the best chunnin the village had to offer, and Sasuke was more than proud to call him his student. He was quiet yet very serious about his training, which was why he wasn't quite the best of friends with his other two team mates. Jun was a loner and reminded Sasuke a lot of his younger self, which was probably the reason why he liked the boy so much.

Sasuke transferred his gaze to the boy who was standing next to Jun. He had short, dark brown hair, pointed teeth, and always carried around a small huskie wherever he went. Inuzika Banken was his name, and at the moment he was chatting loudly to the girl beside him. He was much like his father ('A little too much,' Sasuke thought), arrogant and none too serious, but he and his dog Shiro passed the chuunin exam with flying colors the first time they took it. Banken was annoying at times, always bragging about how many times he "bagged a girl" (though Sasuke never believed him), but he was still a great, hard-working student who held the team together with his optimism and spirit.

Sasuke sighed heavily as he looked over at his last and only female student. She had sunshine blonde hair that was held back in a clip, with strands fanning out in the back and hanging by the side of her face; incredible green eyes the color of ocean water; and an extremely loud voice and bossy attitude. Unlike her two teammates, she had to take the chuunin exam twice before she passed, but she was a strong and an excellent fighter (a bit too aggressive at times, but that was something her teammates didn't want to argue with her about). Secretly, she was without a doubt Sasuke's favorite student.

'Odd…' he thought, staring at the girl as she scoffed at one of Banken's jokes. 'It must've been fate that I would have Yumi as my student.'

Sasuke was only twenty one when he became a Jounin, quite a feat for such a young man, and after the ceremony upon which he received his uniform and was officially declared a Jounin of Konoha, Tsuande begged him on bended knee to become a sensei for the new genin. Apparently, due to lack of interest, there were very few skilled shinobi to teach the youngsters, and with the Hokage sobbing at his feet, there was no way Sasuke could say no. A few days later he was discharged from the ANBU forces and became a sensei to three brand new ninja, though he had only been teaching his current team for four years.

As Sasuke watched Yumi apply a layer of lip gloss to her mouth, using the side of her kunai as a mirror, he remembered how shocked he was when he was told that he'd be teaching the daughter of his childhood rival. He had asked to be transferred to another team (so had the girl's father, who had said that Sasuke would violate Yumi) but Tsuande had only smirked, shook her head, and said "Make sure not to lay a finger on Naruto's girl". Now, though, Sasuke was glad that he was with these three teens; watching these three specifically grow and develop under his tutelage was definitely an experience.

He raised his brow and stretched his arms behind his head. Yumi was definitely the one who had matured and grown in her training the most. Even though she was still loud, obnoxious, and always complained about something, she grew to be unselfish and strong-willed, always putting her teammates before her. She was dedicated and never wanted to give up, much like Naruto.

Sasuke also couldn't help but notice that she had also developed physically, too. Most of her baby fat had been worn into muscle, her hair was longer (when he first started training with her, she always wore pigtails), and…well, she did happen to have a nice rear-end and a pair of B-cup breasts that filled her out nicely, which didn't hurt in the least bit (but Sasuke would never admit to noticing these attributes).

He frowned. 'Ugh, if anyone knew that I was thinking about Yumi's body, my ass would be fired and sexual harassment lawsuits would be pouring in faster than you could say 'pervert'.'

Sasuke continued watching the young woman while she waved her hand nonchalantly at something Banken said and bent down in front of the brown canvas bag at her feet. As she did so, her pants slipped down ever so slightly off her derriere, revealing a small black triangle of cloth on her lower back.

'Hmm…a thong,' the older man thought, not aware of the fact that he was staring. 'Do your parents know about you wearing such sexy underwear, Yumi?'

As if on cue, Banken stopped talking to Jun and glanced at his sensei before following his gaze. He grinned. "Yumi, you whore!" He shouted. "Your friggn' _thong_ is hanging out of your pants for the _entire world _to see!"

Yumi gasped and quickly stood up, hurriedly pulling up the back of her orange pants. "What are you staring at my butt for, pervert!" She yelled back, her cheeks turning bright pink. "I bet you just used that as an excuse to look at my goods!"

Jun looked over at Sasuke with one brow raised, obviously thinking that his comrades could use some growing up. Sasuke rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in response. He could always expect good old Jun not to partake in Yumi's and Banken's idiotic arguments.

Banken pointed his finger accusingly at Sasuke. "Yeah, right! Sensei saw it too!"

Sasuke glared at his student for ratting him out, but remained calm and did what he did best: lie to his underlings. "Don't pull _me_ into your dumb fights," he said calmly.

Yumi crossed her arms, smiling and nodding in a self-satisfied manner. "See? Sensei isn't a pervert like _you_! He would never just gape at my ass like an idiot." (At that moment, Sasuke said a silent prayer of thanks that Yumi was so oblivious). "And besides…" She stuck at her tongue. "If you did see my underwear, what color was it?"

"Black," Jun, Banken, and Sasuke said at the same time.

Yumi's lower jaw dropped and she turned her head slowly towards her sensei, who was cursing himself for not being careful. "S-Sensei!" She screamed. "You-you too?!" She rested her hands on her hips and stomped to the tree root on which Sasuke was sitting while Jun looked on warily and Banken rolled on the ground, laughing so hard he was in tears. "You could've, ya know, tapped me on the shoulder and whispered something about my thong hanging out!" She fumed, her fists in tight balls. "But _no_! You just decide to keep _gawking_ at my _ass_!"

"Y-Yumi," Sasuke said exasperatedly. "If I did that, you probably would've slapped me across the face and made a big fuss about it."

"He's got a point, Yumi," Jun said, lifting his bag off the ground. "You have got to control that temper of yours'." The girl turned to him with her mouth open as if she was about to say something, but he quickly cleared his throat. "Um, I think that's enough training for today. I'll see you all later."

As Jun started to walk away, Banken caught his breath and stood up, wiping off the dirt from the seat of his pants. "Ju-Jun's right," he gasped, picking up his yapping puppy from the ground and setting him on his shoulder. "I need to go feed this little guy." He nudged Yumi in the ribs and proceeded to follow Jun out of the small forest clearing. "Take it easy."

Sasuke and Yumi watched Banken leave together before Yumi turned towards her sensei, smirking.

"Wait till daddy hears that you were checking me out."

Sasuke sighed and rested his elbows on his knees. "Was it really that big of a deal, Yumi?"

"Of course it was!" She replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She puffed out her chest indignantly. "You took from me my dignity, my-"

Sasuke chuckled. "You know, you and your father really have a bad habit of exaggerating things."

Yumi frowned. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, I just don't think that my knowing the color of your underwear scarred you for life and the only thing you're trying to do is make me feel bad."

Yumi's frown deepened and she looked as though she was trying to find a clever response to his comment. After a moment, she smiled again and tilted her head.

"Tell ya what, I won't tell daddy if you take me out for dinner tonight."

"Fine. How about ramen?"

Yumi looked disgusted with him. "Are you serious? NO! I'm so _sick_ of that vile food I could scream! Dad wants it for dinner _every_ night!"

Sasuke slowly nodded, not surprised that Naruto had made his daughter eat his favorite dish all the time. "Then where do _you_ want to go?"

"That new Italian place," she immediately responded.

Her sensei groaned. "Isn't that kinda pricey?"

"Well, yeah, but I heard it's really good."

"Sorry, but I'm not buying you an expensive dinner."

"Then I'm not going."

"Fine by me."

"Then I'll tell daddy."

Sasuke let out some air from the side of his mouth and gave his student a pleading look. He definitely couldn't have Yumi telling Naruto about how much of a pervert he was, especially since she would definitely blow the story out of proportion, but he also didn't have all that much cash to spend, especially on fancy meals. Nevertheless, the last thing that he wanted was to have Naruto knocking down his front door one night and stabbing him in the throat for defiling his precious little girl.

Yumi grinned triumphantly. "I'll meet you there at seven. Don't be late or-"

"You'll tell daddy," Sasuke finished her sentence.

"Exactly."

* * *

At 6:30 that evening, Sasuke stripped off his training gear, took a hot shower, shaved, and put on the same black tank top and old sweat pants that he wore when he first visited Yumi. This attire definitely wasn't the best for a fancy restaurant, but he knew that if he dressed up Yumi would get some ideas in her head. And besides, it wasn't like they were going on a _date_ or anything; there was really no point in him wearing anything in the least bit fancy. Though he hesitated at first, Sasuke sprayed on some cologne, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to at least smell nice.

At 6:50 he headed out the door. The temperature was comfortable, around seventy degrees Fahrenheit, with a light breeze in the air. With the sun starting to set and the stars poking out of the deep blue night sky, it was the perfect setting for (Sasuke cringed at the thought as he walked down the sidewalk) a _romantic_ evening.

He stopped, noticing a small bunch of purple wild flowers growing through a crack on the sidewalk. Even he knew that young ladies loved to receive flowers from men. Sasuke stared at them for a moment before he continued walking, reminding himself that it was inappropriate to do that sort of thing for a student.

Soon the large white building with the terra cotta roof appeared in the distance. Bright yellow light poured out of the large windows, and Sasuke could see tables with red tablecloth and candles inside. Rose bushes surrounded the premises of the building, and a well-dressed greeter stood at the open door smiling at the customers who entered the restaurant.

Sasuke felt his stomach churn. "Damn it, Yumi," he muttered, spotting her standing a few meters away from the front door dressed in a strapless black evening gown that ended just above her knees. Her hair was still up in a clip, but the strands around her face had been curled, giving her an elegant, mature look.

As he approached her, Yumi looked up from the ground and frowned. "You're late."

Even in the fading light outside, Sasuke noticed that she was wearing a lot of make-up and a pearl necklace around her thin neck. "No I'm not."

"Yeah, you are. It's 7:03." She tapped her right foot, which was stuffed into a black stiletto, and observed his outfit. "And you're _totally_ underdressed."

Sasuke was about to retort with a rude insult, but decided that was probably not the way to go. "You look very…grown up tonight," he said, thinking that was a fitting comment for a teacher to give his student.

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"I have to be very careful what I say, Yumi," Sasuke said patiently. He looked behind him. "I could get fired for just being seen with you when you're dressed like that."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yumi look down at her dress. "It's not _that_ bad, is it? And besides…" She shrugged. "I don't see why you would get in trouble for taking me out to dinner. I think you're just being paranoid."

Sasuke turned back to her and grimaced. "People would think something was going on between us if they saw us at dinner like this. And then they'd tell Tsunade and I'd lose my job. Teachers are never allowed to be romantically involved with their students."

Yumi grabbed his hand and started dragging him to the door. "Well, we're _not_ 'romantically involved' and there's nothing kinky about a student and teacher having dinner together. So just lighten up, Sensei."

"Yumi, for god's sake," Sasuke hissed urgently as she pulled him past the greeter and into the restaurant, where people at the tables had stopped talking and were staring at them. "Let go of my hand."

Yumi didn't reply and squeezed Sasuke's hand tighter, obviously enjoying the fact that she was making him anxious. Eventually, they arrived at the last table at the back of the restaurant, hidden from the public eye, and she finally released his hand and sat in one of the two chairs. Sasuke lightly rubbed the top of his hand as he slowly sat down in the chair opposite of Yumi. The lights were dimmed in this area and the candle on their table was burning low, casting shadows over their faces.

Yumi picked up the menu from the table and opened it, biting her bottom lip. "Hm, what are you gonna get?"

"Probably just a glass of water," Sasuke said, resting his elbow on the table. "I'm not all too terribly hungry."

"Pfft, whatever. You're just cheap."

As they sat in silence while Yumi looked over the menu, a waiter with spiky black hair pulled up into a ponytail appeared with a small notepad in his hands. Sasuke immediately recognized him, swiped the menu away from the girl, and hid his face behind it.

The waiter scratched his head and yawned. "What'll it be?"

Sasuke could tell that Yumi was glaring daggers at him. "Well, I couldn't decide because Sensei took the menu away from me!"

The waiter frowned and tilted his head so he could see behind the menu. "Uchiha, what the hell are you doing?"

Sasuke groaned and slowly pulled the menu away. "What's up, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru eyed the two at the table suspiciously. "Isn't that your student, Uchiha?"

The other man sighed and tapped his fingers on the table. "We're just here to talk about-"

"Sensei's taking me on a date!" Yumi chirped.

Shikamaru turned toward her with a look of disbelief on his face while Sasuke covered his face with his hands. "Aren't you a little bit young for him?"

"Aren't _you_ supposed to be taking my order?"

After a moment, Shikamaru shrugged and pulled a pen out of his pants pocket. "What'll it be?" He repeated.

Yumi reached across the table and swiped the menu back. "I'll have an extra large lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, a side order of breadsticks, a salad, and some tea to drink."

Shikamaru clicked his tongue and shook his head while he wrote the order down. "You're gonna eat that all on your own?"

"You bet I will."

Shikamaru raised his brows and nodded his head at Sasuke. "What about you?"

"Just some-"

"He'll have the same thing as me," Yumi interrupted, smiling at Shikamaru.

Sasuke tried to calm himself down and not punch the girl in the face. "Y-Yumi, no-"

Shikamaru began walking away. "Alright, I'll have that out for you two soon."

"And maybe bring some wine, too!" Yumi called after him.

Her sensei resisted the urge to clamp his hand over her mouth and shut her up. "Damn it, Yumi, this meal's gonna cost a fortune!"

Yumi giggled. "Yeah, well, you should've thought of that before you snuck a peek at my ass."

* * *

After getting the check for 15,000 yen (which almost gave Sasuke a heart attack), Yumi ordered a slice of chocolate cake to go and practically had to carry Sasuke out of the restaurant, he was in so much shock. When they stepped out the door, night had already fallen and the sky was littered with thousands of stars.

Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to pour from his eyes after losing so much money. "Well…should I take you home?"

Yumi shook her head, tightly holding the Styrofoam box that held her dessert. "Nah. I was thinking that maybe we could go somewhere and eat this."

Sasuke's shoulders drooped slightly. "Don't you have to be home soon?"

The girl shook her head, the strands of curled blonde hair flying around her face. "Nope. I told mom and dad that I was going to be out late with a friend." She gestured to him and started walking. "Come on; let's go to our training spot. I bet it's really pretty at night."

Sasuke sighed and followed her, aching to go home. "Yumi, seriously, this is starting to seem a lot like a date-"

Yumi stopped and turned to him, her green eyes twinkling in the moon light. "Well…maybe it kinda is."

She paused, turned back around and continued walking, her stilettos clicking on the sidewalk. Sasuke ran his hand through his hair, starting to get really anxious, but nonetheless followed Yumi all the way to their usual training spot in the woods, looking out for more people he might know on the way. He knew that Shikamaru would never give seeing a student and teacher at dinner together a second thought, but that didn't guarantee that other people wouldn't.

Yumi plopped down on hard dirt ground and slipped off her shoes, opening the Styrofoam box. "Man, this looks good."

Sasuke watched her for a moment before sitting down next to her, but not _too_ close, and crossed his legs. "How are you still hungry? You ate both our dinners!"

Yumi shrugged, her mouth full of cake. "I'm a growing girl." She swallowed. "Want any?"

He shook his head and looked up. Through the canopy of the trees, Sasuke could see a small patch of star-filled sky. He was reminded for a moment of the night before he had met the little Uzumaki.

'Sixteen years…' he thought grimly. 'God, I feel so old.'

They sat together in silence, Yumi munching away at her dessert and Sasuke looking up at the sky, before the girl talked again.

"You work out a lot, huh?"

Sasuke was shaken from his stupor and he looked at her quizzically. "What?"

Yumi pointed at his lower stomach and set down the box. "Your abs are totally showing through your shirt."

Sasuke looked down at his muscular body and raised his hands. "You have a problem with that?"

Yumi chuckled. "Of course not. It's just…kinda hard not to notice."

"…Oh."

Yumi pulled up a bundle of grass from the ground. "You're always wearing that baggy uniform, so I've never gotten a good look at you."

"Umm…okay."

She hesitated before she continued. "You have a pretty nice body, Sensei." She stopped again and squinted at his arm. "Wow, you have a tattoo too!" She hurriedly added. "That's so cool!"

Sasuke glanced down at the small black marking on his left shoulder. "Yeah, all ANBU members have to get one."

Yumi looked at him with new respect. "You were on an ANBU squad too?"

"Captain at one point, in fact."

The blonde-haired girl shook her head in disbelief. "Damn, so that means you're uber strong, huh?"

Sasuke looked at Yumi and smiled. "I don't know about that."

"Huh? But haven't you killed a whole bunch of criminals and stuff?"

The man looked back up at the night sky, remembering his mission to the Wave Country when he was a genin. "Someone once told me that to be truly strong, you have to have something you care about so much that you'd die to protect it." He laughed quietly. "Oddly enough, your father and I ended up killing the man who said those words."

The two sat together quietly before Yumi started to speak again.

"Does that mean you don't have anything that means so much to you that you'd die for it?"

Sasuke thought for a moment before answering. "I have you. And Banken and Jun, too."

Yumi leaned towards him. "You mean…you'd do anything for me?"

"I wouldn't say _anything_, but-"

"But you'd die for me?" Yumi interrupted.

Sasuke grinned, knowing how he was going to sound. "Without a second thought."

"Do you really care about me that much?"

"Of course, you're my student."

Silence, then…

"Sensei, don't you have a family, or a girlfriend, that you care a lot about too?" The girl asked timidly.

Sasuke turned his head away from the sky and looked at the dirt ground. "I'm afraid not."

Yumi leaned back in shock. "_You_ don't have a girlfriend? I find that hard to believe, because mom's always saying that you could get any woman you wanted."

Sasuke could feel her eyes on him as he answered. "I guess it never meant that much to me."

"That's a bit depressing, Sensei."

"Why?"

Yumi squinted as she looked up through the trees. "Everyone needs someone to love and someone to love them back, ya know?"

"Women anchor men down and drown them with their mood swings and money-sucking habits." Sasuke shuddered. "There's not a female here I'd want to be with for the rest of my life."

He noted that Yumi looked rather hurt, but wasn't sure why. "Well, if you don't like girls, you could always go gay-"

Sasuke silenced her with a glare. "Don't even go there, Yumi."

Yumi ignored him. "So does that mean…" She playfully punched him in the arm. "You haven't even gotten _any_?"

Sasuke blinked several times. "Why would you want to know?"

Yumi gazed at him innocently. "Just curious. Come on, you can tell _me_!"

"I'm not telling you my virginity status."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"_Please_?"

Sasuke stood up and started walking away from the clearing. "I'm taking you home."

He heard her grumbling as she also got up off the ground. "You're such a dick."

"Calling me a dick is certainly not helping your case."

"Whatever."

* * *

The two walked back to Yumi's house, only saying a few words to each other as they did so. Sasuke knew that if they started talking again, she'd bring up the subject about whether or not he was a virgin. It was definitely not a safe topic for the two of them to be discussing.

Yumi hopped up her front porch steps and turned to Sasuke. "Thanks for dinner and all. I won't tell daddy a thing."

Sasuke crossed his arms. "That was our deal."

The girl slowly opened the front door of her house. "I guess…I'll see you later?"

Sasuke turned on his heel. "Yup."

Yumi bit her lip and swept her bangs out of her face. "Umm…Sensei?"

Sasuke turned back to her. "Yeah?"

Yumi's face broke into a mischievous grin. "Don't be ashamed about being a virgin." She stepped into the house and started to shut the door. "I mean, I'm still one too."

Sasuke shook his head and smiled before turning back around. "And let's keep it that way," he muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thirty Nights**

**Chapter Three**

The next morning Sasuke was awaken by a phone call. Even though it was already noon, and he should've been up by then, it still irritated him that someone would dare disturb his slumber.

"He-he-hello?" Sasuke yawned into the speaker.

"Sasuke," a silky smooth female voice answered. "Sorry, baby, did I catch you at a bad time?"

Sasuke grimaced. "Ugh, Ino, I was sleeping."

"Late night?" Ino asked innocently. "I heard you were out with Sakura's daughter. Don't tell me you've slept with her when you could've done me."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he gripped the telephone. "How-how did you find out?"

Ino sighed on the other side of the line. "Shikamaru told me that he served you two at dinner and that…wait, what's her name again?"

"…Ino, could you hold on one sec?"

"Of course."

Sasuke covered the speaker with his hand. "FUCK!" He shouted. He took a few steady breaths and uncovered the speaker. "Back."

"You busy today?"

The man rolled his eyes, knowing that she was going to ask him on a date. "No, why?"

"Just thought that maybe I could take you out for a drink or two."

He was right.

Despite what he told Sakura, Sasuke at one point had started to date Ino. She was a pretty decent-looking woman and an amazing kisser, as he had found out on one of their first dates, and not to mention she was always offering to buy him a meal, which he greatly appreciated. For a while, he thought that maybe his relationship with Ino would get to be more intimate, but it never did quite reach that level. After some time, though, Sasuke confessed that he was too busy and stressed out for a girlfriend, and surprisingly Ino let him go, only throwing one temper tantrum in the process.

Sasuke sat up in his bed and ran his hand through his hair. "Ino, I'm not gonna start dating you again."

Ino laughed nervously. "Oh, well, I knew _that_. I was just suggesting that we go out as…ya know, _friends_."

Sasuke groaned tiredly and looked out the window, from which glaring noon-day sunlight was pouring. "I guess I could…if you're paying…"

"Oh, of course, of course!" She quickly responded. "Let's meet at around…hm…9 tonight?"

"Sure."

"Alright, come pick me up, okay?" Ino made a kissing sound. "Love you."

She hung up. Sasuke shivered with disgust at her last remark and dropped the phone on his bedside table. Women were horrible, two-faced creatures; one moment they're screaming about how much of a bastard you are for dumping them, the next they're inviting you out for a drink.

Sasuke laid back down and grabbed the pillow next to his head, covering his face with it. "First Yumi, and now this skank," he said, his words muffled.

* * *

On the other side of town, Yumi was examining herself in front of the large mirror in her bedroom. She turned to the side, observing her naked body from that angle, and frowned. Being a sixteen year old girl, she was very self-conscious.

'Damn,' she thought, running her hands up to her bare chest and grabbing her breasts gently. 'At this rate, I'll never get a boyfriend.'

Yumi reached behind her head and pulled her hair out of the clip. Shiny, golden blonde hair fell to her shoulders and back, and she ran her fingers through the strands. Did guys like it better when girls wore their hair down? Or did they want it away from their face? Did they even care at all?

Yumi mumbled, frustrated as she brought her hands between her thighs. "I wonder...if Sensei would like my body if he ever saw it…"

She tried to imagine her sensei running his amazingly dark eyes down every curve and inch of skin, maybe even touching it…but as she did so she felt her face flush. Yumi hated to admit it, but she stayed up almost all night thinking about Sasuke. He has been pretty nice to take her out to an expensive dinner and stay out late with her. Unlike most guys, he had treated her pretty well, and there was also the fact that he was a damn good-looking man.

'And he saw my panties too,' Yumi thought, knowing that her face was getting redder every second. 'I wonder what he thought of them…'

The girl knew that she shouldn't have been thinking of her teacher like that, but she couldn't help it; Sasuke had left a pretty good impression on her, especially when he had said that he'd die for her without a second thought. And for some strange reason, a spark of hope lit up in Yumi when she found out that he was single and a virgin (well, he didn't actually go out and say it, but she was almost certain that he was).

'Hmm…maybe Sensei jacks off a lot.'

She covered her eyes in embarrassment and let out a small shriek as an image of Sasuke masturbating came into her head. Now that was crossing the line a bit, even for her (and she could get pretty damn horny sometimes, too). If Banken had ever found out about her thinking sexy thoughts involving their sensei, he would harass her relentlessly.

Yumi gasped quietly as she heard her bedroom door being knocked on softly. "Uh-uh, hey, what's up?" She stuttered.

"It's just me, sweetie," her mother said quietly on the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

Yumi quickly grabbed her oversized pajama shirt from the floor and slipped it over her head. "Um, sure."

The knob turned and Sakura opened the door. Her pink hair was put up into a messy ponytail and she was wearing the yellow bathroom that she had had ever since Yumi could remember. The dark circles around her eyes had remained and had become more pronounced over the years. Even though she was Sasuke's age, she looked a lot older.

Sakura smiled tiredly. "Watcha up to?"

Yumi shrugged, noticing that her cheeks still felt hot. "Nothing really. Just…chilling."

Her mother crossed the room and sat down on the edge of her bed. "I heard something quite troubling, Yumi," she said straightening the pink covers that laid messily on the mattress.

Yumi turned back to the mirror and flipped her hair. "Oh yeah? Does daddy have to go on another mission?"

"No, darling." Sakura looked up at her, her eyes dark and full of sadness. "It was about you."

Yumi felt her heart catch in her throat. She knew that her mother had found about her little get-together with Sasuke. 'W-well, mom, a lotta people do spread rumors about me."

Sakura crossed her arms and looked at her daughter sternly. "I heard that you and Uchiha-san were out _alone_ together last night, and that you were dressed in a rather revealing outfit."

Yumi turned away from the mirror, feeling her palms start to sweat. "We…we were just talking about…training and stuff. And besides…" She rolled her eyes. "When did you start calling him Uchiha-san?"

Sakura frowned. "You told me that you were going out with a friend."

"I had a change of plans at the last second."

"Then why were you dressed up in _my_ dress and shoes?" Her mother said, raising her voice.

Yumi shrugged one shoulder, but even she knew that her nervousness was showing. "Just wanted to look nice."

Sakura sighed deeply and shook her head. "For the love of god, Yumi, do you know how you looked, dressed like _that_ and out with a thirty year-old man who happens to be your _sensei_?"

Yumi looked at the carpet, ashamed about what happened last night and about how she was thinking of Sasuke just a few moments before. "Nothing happened, mom. We just had dinner and hung out."

"But Yumi, that's not what it looked like to other people," Sakura responded, her voice cracking. "I've gotten about a dozen calls from people saying that I'm a terrible mother and that you probably need a pregnancy test as soon as possible."

Her daughter stood there, letting the guilt flood all over her. "But…mom, we didn't do _anything_. And you're not a terrible mother-"

"Maybe I am for letting my only child earn that sort of reputation!" Sakura said shrilly, tears pouring down her pale face.

Yumi felt tears form in her own eyes, feeling worse and worse about the situation. Her mother had definitely not had it easy; she had been pregnant three other times after Yumi, and every single one of the pregnancies had ended in a miscarriage. She vividly remembered the time when she was five and her mother had the first miscarriage, a boy. Sakura had held the dead infant in her arms for hours, crying and saying "My baby boy, my little baby boy" through her tears. Her father hadn't felt any better, constantly telling his wife that it was his fault that almost all their babies had been born dead, that it was because of his "defective sperm". It was no wonder why Yumi's parents were so protective of her.

Yumi sat down on the bed next to her mother and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Mom, no, you're a great mother, the best ever. I know life's been a total bitch to you, but you've been strong and held up." She smiled. "And daddy's been awesome too, always yelling at all the guys who've hit on me."

Sakura hiccupped. "I-I-I just don't want my-my baby to get herself into any trouble."

The girl gently wiped the tears from her face. "I haven't gotten into any trouble, and I never will."

Her mother sniffled. "I-I know you're a goo-good girl, Yumi-chan, bu-bu-but there's so much pre-pre-pressure to do awful things."

Yumi held her mother tightly, feeling her body shake as she sobbed. "Mom, I promised you that I wouldn't do drugs, or smoke, or drink…" She paused. "…And that I'd wait until I was married to lose my virginity." She pulled away and looked her mom in the eye. "Okay?"

Sakura nodded several times and returned her daughter's gaze. She smiled tearfully. "You know, Yumi, you have beautiful eyes. You've grown up into such a fine, gorgeous young woman." She hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Yumi. So, _so_ proud."

Yumi grinned, any dirty thoughts of Sasuke gone from her mind. "I know. You tell me all the time."

* * *

Sasuke stayed in bed the entire day and read a rather interesting biography about an actor who quit his acting job to serve his village during wartime. He got up only once to use the bathroom, and though he felt a bit lazy, he knew that he could use a nice break. And besides, with lots of people possibly knowing about his shindig with Yumi the night before, it was probably for the best that he stayed inside as much as possible.

At around 8:20, he reluctantly pulled himself away from his comfortable bed and entertaining book and dragged himself to his bathroom. As he did so, he looked at his reflection in the mirror above the sink, just as he had sixteen years before. To be blunt, he hadn't changed too terribly much over the years. He was a little more muscular than before, his skin a tad bit darker, but besides that he looked much younger than thirty-four. Someone had even mistook him for a teenager once at the bar and made him show his I.D before he was allowed to buy any alcohol.

Sasuke bent over, turned on the faucet, and splashed some cold water into his face. He grabbed a towel from under the sink and dried off, then shook his head and tried to make his hair look presentable. Either way, he was sure Ino would absolutely gush and say he looked marvelous. He re-entered his bedroom and stood at the dresser, debating what he should wear. Finally, he settled on a dark blue t-shirt and long black shorts that reached below his knees.

At 8:45, Sasuke was outside for the first time all day. It was much the same out as the night before, with a comfortable temperature and no wind in the air. The moon was already shining brightly above him, with Venus sparkling radiantly to the right of it. He breathed in deeply, the sickly sweet scent of the warm night filling his nostrils. He was already regretting setting up the date with Ino.

All too soon, he was walking up her porch steps and knocking on her door. The door opened slowly and Ino stepped out, wearing a strapless white shirt that clung tightly to her chest and an impossibly tiny black mini skirt with glittering high heels to match. Sasuke detected a hint of perfume and noticed that, unlike with Yumi, he had forgotten to wear cologne.

Ino grinned and shut the door behind her. "Don't you look nice tonight?"

Sasuke tore his eyes away from her body. "Um…you do too."

She giggled and looped her arm through his as they walked down the porch steps and onto the sidewalk. Sasuke reminded himself that it was perfectly fine for the two of them to be out together like that, but he was still annoyed that she had dressed in such a provocative outfit and wouldn't let go of his arm.

"Now isn't this nice?" Ino asked happily as they made their way to the bar. "We haven't hung out in such a long time."

"We've gotten older, Ino," Sasuke said, really wishing that his arm was free from her. "We have responsibilities now."

Ino scoffed and flipped her long blonde hair carelessly with her hand. "Oh, whatever. That doesn't mean we can't have fun ya know."

Even though there was nothing wrong with the two being going out for drinks with one another, Sasuke was still wary. For some reason, he really didn't want to be seen with Ino. In fact, he just wanted to be back home, lounging in bed or lifting weights, just _something_ that wasn't in public.

Relief flooded through him when the bar came into view. He pulled ahead of Ino, yanking her arm as he did so; he really wanted to get in the bar so no one would see them.

"Hey, Sasuke, what's the hurry?" Ino whined.

"I…I just really want a drink. I've been dry for a month."

They passed by a bench on the sidewalk that someone was sitting on. Sasuke paid them no heed, hurrying to get to the bar, but a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Sensei? Is that you?"

Sasuke closed his eyes tightly, sighed, and turned to the owner of the familiar voice, while Ino still clutched on to him. "Yu-Yumi, it's pretty late. What are you doing out?"

Yumi, who was wearing her normal training clothes of a black t-shirt and orange pants (no doubt hand-me-downs from Naruto), stood up from the bench. "Wanted to get out of the house, ya know." She eyed Ino and gave her a huge, fake smile. "I don't believe we've met."

Sasuke tugged on Ino's arm insistently, sensing that trouble could erupt between the two at any moment. "Just a friend, Yumi-"

Ino stood right where she was and returned Yumi's sarcastic grin. "Oh, but I already know who you are, dear. You're Sakura's daughter." She pointed at her head. "I can tell by that huge, gaping forehead that you inherited from her."

The girl looked as though she was slapped across the face. Sasuke glared at Ino, wanting nothing more than to punch her. Well, maybe that was a bit too much, but it still pissed him off pretty good that this woman was making rude comments about his student.

"Ino," he said through gritted teeth. "That's pretty damn rude-"

"I think you know who you are, too," Yumi interrupted, staring Ino down. "Mom's always talking about a long blonde-haired whore who's constantly rubbing her tits in Sensei's face."

The woman's jaw fell slightly from shock, but strangely enough, Sasuke didn't feel too sorry for her. She was the one who started it, and she got what was coming. In fact, he silently praised Yumi for her remark; maybe after hearing that, Ino would back off.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence and Yumi and Ino giving each other death stares, Ino recuperated and gave Sasuke's arm a light pull, leading him towards the bar that lay meters away.

"My my, Sasuke, maybe you should train your brats on how to talk to their superiors."

Sasuke ignored her, looked over his shoulder at Yumi and gave her a smile, and she gave him a thumbs-up in return. They were both secretly against the other woman, and neither of them cared. As him and Ino neared the counter at the bar, Sasuke noted that he was feeling quite proud of his student for standing up for herself to an older woman.

Ino groaned annoyingly and sagged down on one of the stools at the counter. "Jesus, Sasuke, I only put up with one minute of your student and I already need a drink." She adjusted her shirt and rested her elbow on the counter. "I mean, god, how can you stand _three_ little snots exactly like that?"

Sasuke sat next to her. "I happen to have a little more patience than you. And besides…" He looked at her, amused. "It's Sakura and Naruto's _child_, for god's sake. Of course she's gonna snap at you for dissing her."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Like mother, like daughter, I suppose." She nodded to the tender. "Just bring us some sake. I feel like getting smashed."

* * *

Half an hour later, Sasuke left a very drunk Ino at the bar, giving the tender a little money to insure that she made it home safely. When the tender asked about the bill, he just waved his hand and told him to put it on Ino's tab; she _had_ said earlier that she was paying.

Sasuke walked out of the bar and into the night, despite the woman's slurred protests. He hadn't even had a sip of alcohol, yet he wanted more than anything to get out of there and away from Ino, who was being rather obnoxious and just plain humiliating to be seen with. Some people, he concluded, just never grow up.

He stopped and noticed a lone, dark figure on the bench in front of the bar. He walked towards it and sighed.

"Why aren't you home yet?"

The figure shrugged. "Don't know."

Sasuke sat on the bench. "Yumi, you really shouldn't get into the habit of staying out late. There are a lotta creeps out at this time who wouldn't mind raping you."

Yumi remained still. "Why are you even with that bitch?"

It took a minute before Sasuke realized that she was referring to Ino. "She's an…acquaintance of mine. I've known her since were kids."

"Well, I don't like her," the girl replied sharply. "She's…a total moronic fuck-face."

"Be rest assured, she doesn't like you too much either."

"Like _I_ want to be friends with ugly old hags."

Sasuke crossed his legs. "Ya know, your mom used to be best friends with that 'fuck-face' over there."

Yumi turned her head quickly to look at him, horrified. "You're joking, right? Like, why would a sweet person like my mom hang around that cock-craving slut?"

'She certainly does have a lot of insults up her sleeve,' Sasuke observed silently.

He rested his hands on the cold metal surface of the bench and leaned back. "Oh yeah, you couldn't tear those two apart when they were younger. They were like sisters. Wherever Sakura was, Ino was not far behind."

Yumi's eyes turned to slits. "Then why did she insult my mom like she did back there?"

Sasuke chose to tread around the subject carefully. "When they were teenagers, something split them apart. Ruined their friendship pretty damn good."

"Oh? What was that?"

The man felt his throat tighten. "A boy."

"Who?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know him."

Yumi raised her brow, giving him the "Oh-so-you-really-think-I-don't-know" look. "Uh-huh. Yeah, whatever." A loud shriek emanated from the bar and she shook her head. "Ugh, I hate her already."

Sasuke grunted. "Trust me; you're not the only one."

"Then why were you with her?" His underling asked snottily.

Sasuke picked at his fingernail absentmindedly. "I don't hafta tell you everything about my personal life, do I now?"

"…I guess not."

The man held back for a moment before patting Yumi on the shoulder. "Hey, how about I get you some ice cream…cheap ice cream," he quickly added.

Yumi's hunched shoulders stood upright and she grinned goofily. "Well, you can always talk me into free food." She stood up and pointed at the bar over her shoulder. "Let's get away from this shit-hole, huh?"

* * *

A little more than twenty minutes later, the two were sitting outside the small sweets shop on iron wrought chairs, Yumi happily slurping away at her chocolate ice cream cone and Sasuke watching hungrily. He hadn't bought anything for himself, but he had to admit, he was _starved_.

Yumi gulped and leaned back, sighing contentedly. "Thanks for the ice cream. It's awesome."

"No problem. Can't do this every night though, Yumi."

The girl bit into the huge mound of ice cream. "Because you're a big pussy and you're afraid that someone's gonna see us and spread rumors about us? Oh, boo-hoo sensei."

Sasuke clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Maybe Ino was right: perhaps I should teach you some manners."

Yumi blew a raspberry. "Pftttt, screw that."

She returned to eating her treat, both of them silent, when Sasuke's stomach betrayed him and gave off a low rumble. Yumi stopped eating and laughed, her eyes twinkling and her face glowing. Damn, she looked good.

"Jesus, Sensei, if you wanted some, all you had to do is ask!"

Sasuke smiled weakly. "Heh…yeah."

Yumi held the dripping cone between them. "Here, we can both eat it."

Sasuke held his hands palm-up in front of his chest. "No, it's yours'-"

Yumi nearly shoved the cone at him. "I said, we can _both_ eat it."

The man's stomach rumbled again and he sighed dejectedly. "Okay, okay."

The two of them began licking away at the ice cream, each having a side of the chocolate mound to themselves. Sasuke knew that if Sakura or (heaven forbid) Naruto were to see them like this, they'd be absolutely appalled, but he didn't care. It wasn't like they were _making out _or anything. Yumi was right: he needed to lighten up.

He noticed that Yumi had stopped licking the ice cream, and that his tongue was in contact with something that didn't feel cold and creamy. He opened his eyes, and shock flowed through his body like cold, ice water. The tip of Sasuke's tongue was lightly touching Yumi's, and she was staring at him with wide eyes. His body was too petrified to move, but his eyes slowly made their way downwards and rested on his students' chest. With her bending over like that, he could see all the way down her shirt, could even tell what color her bra was (light pink).

'Dear god, she has a nice chest.'

At that thought, Sasuke's body became unfrozen and he pulled away, clamping his mouth shut. "Oh jeeze, sorry, Yumi, oh god, I'm so sorry!"

Yumi blinked several times, her face bright pink. "No! No, it's fine! Really! Um…"

She got up from her chair and threw the cone into the trashcan standing a few feet away, leaving Sasuke to calm himself down. Shit, this wasn't good! Now Yumi could blackmail him again!

'And I know for a fact that I can't afford any more horridly expensive Italian dinners,' he thought.

Yumi sat back down next to him. Was she looking a tad flustered? "Er…Sensei, can I ask you something?"

"Wh-what, Yumi" He replied, exasperated.

The pink in her face became more defined. "Did…did you like them?"

The lights in the sweet shop dimmed, signaling that it was time to close. Sasuke took in a sharp intake of air.

"Yumi, you know I can't answer that-"

"I won't tell anyone."

"No, Yumi, it's inapp-"

"Sensei!" Yumi screamed, causing the already tense man to jump from his seat. She took a deep, wavering breath. "Sensei…right now, don't think of me as a student, or a girl who's too young for you…think of me as a woman." She bit her lip. "I mean, you put up so many boundaries and rules, just out of fear that someone will think bad of you."

Sasuke let her words sink in. Again, she was right.

He smiled at her and gestured towards her chest. "They're…they're cute."

Yumi leaned forward and smiled warmly, crossing her arms. "Thanks for saying so, Sensei."

"How about you call me by my first time, if we're being more personal."

Her mouth hung open lightly at the request but she cleared her throat and regained her composition. "Alright, _Sasuke_."

Sasuke snickered. "Good, now I feel at least a bit younger."

"How old are you anyway, Sen-, I mean, Sasuke?"

"Old."

"You're so lame."

"No, just old."

* * *

They walked back to her house, chatting away enthusiastically with their laughs ringing loudly in the night. It was much more intimate and personal, not to mention fun, than their walk back to the Uzumaki house the night before. Their arms brushed lightly every now and then, and Sasuke found himself gazing at the girls' breasts for long periods of time.

'I feel horrible for staring,' he thought, 'but sweet Jesus, they're impossible _not_ to look at.'

The two stopped on the sidewalk in front of the familiar blue house, looking at each other straight in the eye. Yumi tilted her head.

"This was a whole lot more fun than last night."

"I agree."

The girl started to nervously grind the heel of her toe into the sidewalk. "Sen-"

"It's Sasuke, Yumi," Sasuke interrupted.

She smiled sheepishly. "I know, but I'm so used to calling you Sensei."

"You'll get used to it."

Yumi slowly, reluctantly reached for his hand, and Sasuke didn't stop her. "Want…to touch one?"

Sasuke felt his hand start to tremble and all the heat in his body drain down to his loins. Oh god, a boner? At this time?

Yumi lifted his hand and held it up. "Only if you want to, that is…"

The man knew that his heart was probably on the verge of splitting out from his ribcage as his fingertips lightly touched the soft fabric of the girl's shirt. This was so, so wrong. She was _way _too young for him! Touching her chest, out in public, _in front of her parent's house_ was practically illegal!

But at the same time, Sasuke knew that this was what he wanted. They had been out on two outings together that could definitely be considered "dates", and even though he was eighteen years older than Yumi, he had an incredible time talking, laughing, and even getting taunted by his student. Way more enjoyable than hanging around with "that fuck-face", as Ino was now deemed.

At the last second, Sasuke reluctantly snaked his hand out of Yumi's and pulled away. "Sorry. It…it just seems like too much," he said half-heartedly.

She smiled sadly and put her hand down by her side. "Yeah…I guess." She shrugged and started up the porch steps to her house's front door. "I still had fun."

Sasuke hesitated, but before Yumi opened the door he called out to her. "Hey, Yumi?"

Yumi turned around, surprised. "Yeah?"

He took a deep breath and pointed his chin upwards. "Tomorrow. Let's meet again tomorrow."

His student smiled and cupped her breasts lightly. "You want another chance to fondle my goodies, huh?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yes, that's _exactly_ what I want, Yumi," he replied sarcastically.

"Whatever." She gripped the doorknob. "I'll see you tomorrow. How about in the evening again? I'll meet you at our training spot at 9. Okay?"

Her sensei took one last good look at her chest before she turned around. "Alright…"

**A/N: Yay! It's been a while since I've had an author's note, huh?**

**So…what does everyone think? Good? Bad? So-so? Worth continuing? Give me some feedback, be it through a review, private message, or email! But even if I don't get any, be rest assured that I'll still continue the story. **

**Till next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: YES! It's back from the dead! :D**

**Thirty Nights**

**Chapter Four**

The day dragged by slowly, nearly tormenting the anxious Uchiha. Feelings of both regret and excitement swirled about in his mind; Sasuke was looking forward to spending more time with his (sexy, but he wouldn't dare say that out loud) student, but at the same time, the controversy of a man his age hanging around with his sixteen year old underling itched at the back of his brain.

'We're just being friendly,' he told himself as he was preparing to leave his house for the training spot. 'Nothing sexual…just being friendly.'

But the way they carried on the night before suggested otherwise. Not only did they share an unintentional kiss, but Yumi nearly let him fondle her! And as much as Sasuke denied it…he really enjoyed it. No, not enjoyed it…loved it. Loved the way this young woman could make him yearn, turn him on, like no other woman could…

At that thought, a sudden rush of horror struck the man as he shut the front door of his house behind him, and a cold sweat formed above his brow. This was shameful. This was wrong. In fact, this was illegal, thinking these thoughts about Yumi, his student, a young woman he was supposed to take under his wing. She wasn't someone he could think dirty thoughts about.

But dirty thoughts there were. The night before, Sasuke mentally fucked the girl over and over as he lay in bed, his body covered in sweat and his hardened member bulging at the front of his pants, and the constant thought of "If only she were older'.

Thinking about his promiscuous fantasies involving Yumi only made him feel worse as he neared the team's training area, the stars once again shining brightly in the heavens. What if he attempted to make those fantasies reality? What if the need to show his student the physical wonders of love overcame him?

'I can't do that to her,' he thought as the concrete of the street melted into the spongy dirt floor of the forest. ' I can't…I won't let it happen. Tonight, I'll tell her that we can't meet like this anymore.'

His resolve crumbled as he entered the circular patch of grass that his team had been training on for many years and was rooted to the spot when he saw Yumi sitting on a tree stump, her long blonde hair hanging straight down her back and glinting in the ivory moonlight. He gulped, noting that she was wearing a low-cut white t-shirt and a jean mini skirt. This display of female clothing was such a shock after seeing her dress like a boy ever since he met her.

She turned and smiled at him. "Well good, you're not late this time."

Sasuke smirked back and relaxed. At least she wasn't acting any differently. Still the same snarky girl with a biting attitude. He took a seat next to her on the stump and folded his arms.

"You shouldn't be-"

"Dressed like this?" She offered lightly.

"Exactly."

She didn't respond but instead turned her sea-green eyes skyward. Sasuke watched her for a minute before doing the same. There was something so lustful and mysterious about the night sky, with it's billions of stars twinkling and the moon shining brightly. The man couldn't help but think that at this very moment, there were young couples all over the world making love under this same sky.

"Maybe I want to impress somebody," Yumi finally said quietly.

It took a few seconds for Sasuke to realize that she was talking about the way she was dressed and he began to feel increasingly nervous again. He shuffled his feet and cleared his throat.

"Yumi, I-"

She looked him in the eye and smiled warmly. "Remember that one night, Sensei, when we were out on a mission and we had to camp in the middle of the woods?"

Sasuke hesitated, really wanting to tell the girl that this would never work between them, but instead nodded and laughed quietly. "Of course I do. That night was the night of Banken's birthday."

"And like he totally flashed me and he made me all uncomfortable and-" Yumi stopped and blushed.

"And you demanded that I let you sleep in my tent," Sasuke finished quietly.

The girl nodded. "And you made me feel so safe and secure. I just…felt like you could protect me from anything."

"And I would, Yumi," Sasuke said gently. "Because you're my _student_." As much as he tried to emphasize the word 'student', the implication was lost on Yumi.

"And because you're a good man, Sasuke," she said, and the man felt even more unsettled at the fact that she had used his name instead of 'Sensei'. After a moment, he also realized that her mother had said the same thing to him on the day he had first seen her as an infant.

The two were quiet again for a while before Sasuke attempted to speak again.

"Yumi, we can't-"

He stopped in mid-sentence when he noticed that silent tears had begun to pour down his student's cheek. He shut his mouth and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Yumi…"

She sniffled and faced him, the tears messing up her make-up and her hair sticking to her face. Yet even looking as disheveled as she did, at that moment Sasuke thought was incredibly beautiful.

"Can't you tell…" Yumi managed to whisper between her tears. "That I'm falling for you?"

All Sasuke could do was stare at her sadly, feeling his heart throb painfully in his chest, and knowing that he too wanted to say those exact same words to her. Instead he bit his lip and wrapped his strong arms around the girl's shaking body, pulling her as close as he could to his chest, holding her tightly, trying to ease not only her pain, but his too. Yumi was right: he would protect her from anything…

Even himself.

Sasuke took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his own tears at bay. He pulled away and touched her cheek tenderly, wishing with all his might that he didn't have to break a young woman's heart tonight.

"I know, Yumi. I know that you have a crush on me, and though I shouldn't be saying this, I admittedly return some of those feelings-"

"Then why-" The girl whimpered, her voice breaking.

"Because it's wrong," Sasuke said softly.

Yumi's lip quavered and she turned her head away. "We…we can try and keep it secret-"

"No, Yumi."

The two sat in uncomfortable silence except for the young woman's quiet sobbing before she attempted to sit up and break away from Sasuke's grip. The man in turn grabbed Yumi's shoulders tighter. Out of fear that he might lose her, or because it was just his initial reaction, he wasn't sure.

"Let me go," Yumi said quietly, almost menacingly.

"Not until I know you're going to be alright."

Yumi snapped her head back towards him, a look of pure hatred on her fiercely beautiful face. "I said, let me go," she growled between gritted teeth.

"No," Sasuke said calmly, though his heart was starting to tear at the seams.

That's when Yumi did the unexpected: she slapped her teacher, hard. Stunned, Sasuke's grip on her shoulders loosened, and she freed herself, jumping off the ground and sprinting out of the clearing.

After the initial shock of being struck by Yumi had worn off, Sasuke had come to his senses and yelled after her. "Yumi, wait!"

"I hate you!" A shrill, agonized shriek responded. "I fucking hate you!"

Sasuke sighed heavily and rubbed the spot where she had hit him, whispering aloud the words that he had wanted to tell her so much that it was unbearable:

"…But I love you."


End file.
